THE LIONS TALE 

Muskegon Northside Lions Charities Inc.

 December  2009                        Vol. xxxi  issue 6

President’s Column:

 This finishes up yet another year of our lives, December is a month that is so busy with everything that you hardly get a chance to enjoy it. We had a great Christmas Party this year under the chair of Dennis Bates, Kathleen Cobler and Roger Dreikorn at First Lutheran. The decorations and the meal by our favorite caterer along with a new entertainment group made for a great evening. Thanks to all that shared the evening with us.

The calendar project is slowly winding up as just a few calendars still out, our International Lions Foundations has done great things in the lives of many people because of your dedication to working with the calendar project. Thanks also go to the 6 Lions that each sold over 50 calendars, this along with many of you selling your 10 makes this project fun to manage. I will be taking the last $10,000.00 check with me to the Global Membership Meeting in Oak Brook January 14th through the 16th. I will bring a picture back with me for the next newsletter of our LCIF Chair (and maybe our International President) accepting our club's check.

Membership continues to be on my mind, we will have two new members inducted in the month of January, Mark Sorenson at the first meeting and Richard Kraft at the second. We all need to make sure our club stays healthy and strong as many members make an easier time for the successful projects we attempt. All of us need to keep an eye out for potential new members to expand our ability to deliver our services. Our world-wide membership growth both positive and negative comes from the willingness of our current membership at the club level to take charge of our Association. We are the building blocks that the entire Association is built on so it is us at the club level to maintain that strength.

Looking forward to the New Year, we as the Northside Lions have enjoyed over 30 years of successes, we will continue to push forward for yet another great year of friendship and service. Plan on attending our gatherings on the 5th and the 19th to not only break bread together but to welcome in two new Lions to our Pride.

President Dennis
 

From Power Consulting – Power Thoughts:

Everything you want is right in front of you! What’s behind you is already gone. Never dwell on what might have been. Create what “will be”.
Sondra and Jerry Powers
 

Muskegon Northside Lions Prayer List:

Please keep the following Lions and their families in your prayers:

Lions Mike O’Lonergen, Mike Simerick, Lore Teed, Bill Entsminger, John Emrich and Tracy Knight.
 

Don’t miss the next meeting January 5th. The first of the new year 2010! We will be having our dear friend and fellow Lion Rod Prys presenting our program for us. Also Deb Roest will be reporting on how the Christmas shopping with the kids went and maybe Dandy and Santa will have a report on the smiles they were responsible for when they visited the kids in the hospital.
 

Thought for the month:
There is no substitute for excellence…..not even success.
 

January is eye donor awareness month. Let’s make it more than that and become an organ donor and get it designated on our driver’s licenses.
 

Don’t miss the meeting on the 19th of January, 2010 as we will be hosting Eric Berger of Leaderdogs. Eric will present our program for the evening.
 

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
 

It’s a natural time for reflection, a time for giving thanks and for counting blessings, and of course a time for thinking about what we hope to accomplish in the New Year ahead.
 

Personally, I have so much to be thankful for, most especially the opportunity to serve as your international president in 2009-10. As Margit and I have traveled the world since July, we have been constantly humbled and amazed by the selfless service of Lions in bringing hope to those in need and a future to those who don’t know what tomorrow may bring.
 

I am also extremely grateful for the way you… the Lion leaders of the world ….have responded to this year’s MOVE TO GROW theme. Our results continue in a very positive direction midway through December. The strength of our service has grown by the addition of 12,500 net new members, the best results in more than a decade. And our network of service and fellowship has grown with the addition of 610 new clubs compared to 399 last year at this time – a 71% improvement. These are simply fantastic and remarkable results. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
 

From the December 2009 President’s message to DG Teams, Club Officers and Lion Leaders.

From the “Pulse”… D. G. Lion Bob Schalow

Excerpts:
 

Our membership is still just over the 1,250 minimum for our District to support an International Director Candidate. Membership growth will be critical to insure we have the 1,250 membership on April 30, 2010. Our MERL Team will work with any club that requests help with retention or membership growth.
 

International President Eberhardt Wirfs has dedicated the last two weeks of January, 2010, to a special campaign called “Lions in Sight”. He’s asking all clubs and districts worldwide to organize public awareness events during these last two weeks of January. Our Public Relations Chairman, Stan Hone, is working on programs that can be used in radio or print and will be glad to help any club requesting additional help.

Yours in Lionism
District Governor, Bob Schalow.
 

OUR FELLOW LIONS CLUBS
 

Well, another newsletter put to bed and now to do the same with myself. It’s 1:30 AM and the weekend hasn’t been too much fun. Not complaining just one of those things when things just don’t go the way you wish they would. I’m sure everyone can relate to that. I would like to apologize, though, for this issue being so late. I’ve been working with computers since 1989 and you would think I would be pretty good at it by now but unfortunately that isn’t the case. I had the newsletter almost finished and was putting the calendar on the last page and somehow lost everything and had to start over again tonight. (This morning?) Well, if things aren’t going quite the way you would like them to just remember “You’re not alone!”

Have a great day, week, month and year and live each day one day at a time and enjoy it to the fullest as we never know which one will be our last.

Thanks and God Bless,
Editor